War movies have been staples since the inception of cinema, with some of the earliest and most important movies belonging to the genre. These include Sea Fighting in Greece (1897), The Fugitive (1910), and All Quiet on the Western Front (1930), through to more recent classics like The Deer Hunter (1978), Apocalypse Now (1979), Platoon (1986), Full Metal Jacket (1987), and Saving Private Ryan (1998).
With thousands of war films, it’s inevitable that some fall under the radar or fail to receive the recognition they deserve. Here, I’ve selected some war movies that I believe are criminally underrated. Each comes incredibly close to perfection but never quite makes it. That could be because of a single fatal flaw, tonal inconsistency, or simply an inability to bring all of its ambitious ideas together in a satisfying way. From visceral, low-budget indies to sweeping, cinematic epics, here are 10 underrated war movies that are so close to being perfect.
10
‘Enemy at the Gates’ (2001)
With a stellar cast that includes Jude Law, Joseph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz, Bob Hoskins, Ed Harris, and Ron Perlman, Enemy at the Gates is loosely inspired by William Craig’s 1973 nonfiction book Enemy at the Gates: The Battle for Stalingrad. Thanks to its harsh winter backdrop, it feels atmospheric, suspenseful, and extremely intense as it follows the legendary cat-and-mouse sniper duel between Soviet marksman Vassili Zaitsev and German Major Erwin König.
Unfortunately, the relentless, escalating tension is interrupted by an awkward, entirely fictionalized love triangle subplot. It serves as a forced, soap-opera-like distraction from the gritty reality of the superbly shot battle sequences.
9
‘Battle of Okinawa’ (1971)
Acclaimed for its anti-war message and visceral battle sequences, Battle of Okinawa, named after the brutal conflicts of the Pacific Theater, was well-received in Japan. However, it had a limited theatrical U.S. release and failed to find a wide audience. Since it captures the misery and horrors of the battlefield with harrowing and uncompromising realism, it’s arguably one of the most haunting and devastating war movies ever made.
While its almost documentary-style presentation adds to the intensity, the device of a narrator throughout can sometimes feel tiresome. Instead of letting the drama unfold naturally, it can also make the plot feel a little spoon-fed.
8
‘Fury’ (2014)
Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf, Logan Lerman, Michael Peña, and Jon Bernthal all deliver committed performances as members of an American tank crew during WWII. Since Fury focuses just as much on their personal dynamics and bonding as the bloody hardships of war, there are some genuinely tender moments within its bleak setting.
While Fury found considerable critical and commercial success, people rarely talk about it as one of the greatest war movies. Underrated to a degree, its final act leans a little too heavily into over-the-top clichés, shifting into an almost superhero tone as viewers are bombarded with a melodramatic Hollywood bloodbath. The movie ultimately stumbles when it abandons the gritty, grounded realism it had previously established.
7
‘Johnny Mad Dog’ (2008)
Plunging viewers into an unnamed African civil war, Johnny Mad Dog explores the brutal horrors behind the reality of child soldiers. Made on a shoestring budget and shot in real war-torn areas of Liberia using a local cast (reportedly including real former child soldiers), everything about the movie feels uncomfortably real.
Mainstream success was never a realistic option due to its graphic depictions of rape, murder, and drug use involving children, which makes for an incredibly difficult watch at times. However, it was critically acclaimed for its fearless approach to an important real-life issue. This same uncompromising approach prevents it from reaching perfection. It occasionally feels gratuitous rather than purely observational, blurring the line between necessary realism and exploitation.
6
‘Overlord’ (2018)
Overlord follows a group of American soldiers who are dropped behind enemy lines the day before D-Day and discover terrifying Nazi experiments. Splicing elements of revisionist war drama and zombie horror, the movie is a genre-bending ride that is fun, frenetic, and never farcical. Perhaps due to its niche appeal, though, it had a modest box office run.
Currently holding an impressive 82% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Overlord impressed critics with its ability to seamlessly switch between taut action and all-out bloody horror without ever feeling uneven or forced. The moments of dramatic restraint make the ensuing zombie splatter-fest hit that much harder. It’s a shame that the movie leans too much into typical zombie tropes and doesn’t deliver on its original and unique premise.
5
‘Tigerland’ (2000)
Following the overwhelmingly negative reception to his Batman and Robin movie, Joel Schumacher’s career arguably saw a steep decline, and he directed several lower-budget movies along with studio work. One of those is the hidden gem, Tigerland, starring Colin Farrell, set in a training camp for soldiers before they fight in the Vietnam War. Blending action and drama, it is raw and intimate, exploring themes of morality in a way that feels poignant without ever feeling overly sentimental.
Despite positive reviews, it bombed at the box office and remains criminally under-seen to this day. In an early role, Farrell’s performance as a rebellious draftee is filled with charisma and emotion, showcasing his future star potential. Schumacher’s use of a handheld 16mm camera captures Farrell’s raw, magnetic presence and brings the gritty boot camp to life. However, the relentless “shakiness” can occasionally feel disorientating and distracting, and it makes the movie feel “low budget” instead of intentionally raw and realistic.
4
‘We Were Soldiers’ (2002)
We Were Soldiers is a Vietnam War movie about the Battle of Ia Drang starring Mel Gibson, Madeleine Stowe, Greg Kinnear, Sam Elliott, and Jon Hamm. It scored 63% on Rotten Tomatoes, which feels low considering just how compelling its exploration of the cost of human life is, including the struggles of families waiting back home. Bonus points should also be given for its successful ability to humanize both sides of the conflict by portraying the North Vietnamese soldiers as intelligent, worthy adversaries rather than one-dimensional villains.
That being said, We Were Soldiers tends to slip into overt sentimentality and heavy-handed patriotism, occasionally making it feel dangerously close to ‘pro-war’ propaganda through its glorification of military honor and traditional valor.
3
‘Hacksaw Ridge’ (2016)
While it’s not underrated in the typical sense of the word, considering it was a huge critical and commercial success, I believe Hacksaw Ridge should be considered among the very best war movies ever made, mentioned in the same conversations as the likes of Platoon, Saving Private Ryan, and Apocalypse Now.
Anchored by Andrew Garfield’s stirring, deeply earnest performance as real-life World War II combat medic Desmond Doss, the first conscientious objector to receive the Medal of Honor for his service in World War II, Hacksaw Ridge fires on all cylinders. Mel Gibson’s gritty, immersive direction pulls no punches, and Rupert Gregson-Williams’ percussion-heavy rhythms and haunting choral arrangement masterfully capture the intense brutality of the Okinawa battlefield.
The movie is almost perfect, except for its portrayal of the Japanese “enemies,” which could be considered insensitive and based on offensive stereotypes. Some have noted that the movie only acknowledges the Japanese viewpoint if it means getting to show outlandish gore and violence.
2
‘Warfare’ (2025)
Released just last year, Warfare is a nerve-shredding war movie detailing the harrowing experience of its co-writer and director, Ray Mendoza, during his time fighting in the Iraq War as a U.S. Navy SEAL. Despite flying under the mainstream radar, it was a hit with critics, scoring an impressive 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Many praised the film for its accurate and authentic portrayal of modern warfare and its gritty and raw approach to storytelling.
The movie feels authentic and immersive because the story plays out in real life based on the memories of the platoon. However, this is also the reason for the movie’s fatal flaw: it lacks political context, backstories, or a deeper exploration of the Iraqi perspective. Additionally, some viewers find this non-traditional means of storytelling to feel “empty,” more akin to a true-crime documentary than a Hollywood movie.
1
‘Rescue Dawn’ (2006)
Directed by renowned auteur Werner Herzog, Rescue Dawn is based on the true story of Dieter Dengler, a German-American pilot who was shot down and captured in Laos by villagers sympathetic to the Pathet Lao during the Vietnam War. Cold and unforgiving, Herzog delivers one of the greatest “prisoner of war” movies of all time, bolstered by a phenomenal lead performance from Christian Bale.
Despite bombing at the box office, Rescue Dawn was a huge hit with critics, who agreed that Bale’s transformative and deeply committed performance is among his finest. Many also felt that Herzog’s fearless, uncompromising direction shines through in the gritty, claustrophobic atmosphere. The one drawback is how fast and loose it plays with the facts and events of the story it’s based on. While Herzog claims that he altered historical realities to generate dramatic tension and create a more conventional cinematic experience, a number of the survivors were particularly frustrated by the inaccurate depictions of them and their struggles.
Have you seen any of these almost perfect war movies? Would you add one to the list? Let us know in the comments!
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
